Apparatus for converting mattes and speisses and other metallic compounds.



PATPNTDD 00T. 9, 1906. H.HAAs.

APPARATUS POR DONVDDTING MANTES AND SPEISSBS- AND OTHER METALLIC COMPOUNDS.

APPLICATION NEED SEPT. 22, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES:

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No. 832,665. f PATENTED 00T. 9, 1906.

' H. HAAS.

APPARATUS POR GONVERTING vMATTES AND SPEISSES AND OTHER METALLIC COMPOUNDS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 14905.

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#WM/W ATTORNEY.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT HAAS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.`

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING MATTES AND SPEISSES AND OTHER METALLIC COMPOUNDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application led September 22, 1905. Serial No. 279,737.

-mattes, also speisses and other metallic compounds, the object of the invention being to provide a process by which there may be obtained a quicker oxidation of the impurities of the matte, a greater efficiency in the effect of the air introduced, and a more even corrosion of the lining of the converter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus-by which said process can be carried out.

In prior processes of converting copper and other mattes it has been the custom to admit the air into a substantially stationary mass of molten matte, the part thus affected by the air admitted being oxidized, the pure metal sinking to the bottom of the converter, the sulfur being burned, the iron being liberated and combining with the lining of the converter and forming a slag which rises to the top of the molten bath. After the blast has been turned on for a sufficient length of time by such prior process the converter is shifted so that another part of the lining can be brought into use to form the aforementioned slag. This requires a considerable expenditure of power and labor in shifting the converter, and even then it is not satisfactory, because it is not possible to use all parts of the converter-lining substantially uniformly, only certain parts of the lining being used, which are brought into play at various positions of the converter, and since the motion of the converter is necessarily limited in character it is evident that only corresponding positions of the lining can be thus used.

One object of the present invention is to provide a process by which all parts of the lining can be used with uniformity. Under the prior process, in which the lining is used unevenly in different parts, great expense is entailed in repairing and replacing the converter-lining, and, moreover, there is danger of the shell of the converter being injured by direct contact with the molten matte in places where the lining has been eaten away. With my invention this result is avoided. y

A further important feature of the invention is that the labor and power required to shift the converter are entirely dispensed with.

A further objection to prior processes of and apparatus for converting copper mattes has been that, owing to the matte being stationary, at each application of the blast the air continued to beforced upon the metallic particles after the process of reduction thereof had been completed, thus not only wastefully using the air-blast, but, furthermore, im-

pairing the efhciency ofthe converter by forming solid particles of metallic compounds around the ends of the twyer, preventing the operation of the twyer, and requiring-the ends of the twyer to be punched out from time to time. Objections to this were not only the labor and time required to punch out the ends of the twyer, but also the liability of pieces ofthe linin being knocked down with solid particles o meta adhering to the ends of the twyer. These particles of the lining, being encrusted with particles of metal and slag, were not capable of performing their duty, but were discharged fromthe converter with the slag when the'converter was skimmed. Thus not only was the thickness of the lining reduced comparing its value,

but the parts so removed were removed without performing any part of their function in combining with the iron to form slag. A further great objection to such prior processes and converters used in connection therewith has been that whenever the ends of some of, the twyer-openings became clogged or partially clogged in the manner previously alluded to this threw an extra amount of work on the adjoining twyer, causing the air to issue therefrom at a greater velocity and at a greater pressure, doing greater work, but localizing the work done and intensifying it immediately in front of theI twyer, thus causing an uneven corrosion of the converter-lining and bringing about the evils already described in an even greater' degree than those arising from the stationary condition of the matte.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of the converter on a plane through its axis of rotation. Fig. 2 is aview of the converter looking along its axis of rota- ,ICO

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tion, the top part being removed. Fig. 3 is a detail vsectional view of the wind-box detached. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the converter is built in two parts, an upper part 1 and a lower part 2. The converter-shell is thus made in two sections in order to facilitate its lining preparatory to its use for converting. These sections are secured together by means of a cast-iron or wrought-iron or cast-steel band 5, iirmly secured to the lower part 2 around its circumference near its upper edge, and another band 6 of like material secured to the upper J part around its circumference near its lower edge. These bands have iianges 3 4, which are secured together by bolts 7. The converter thus formed is most advantageously of a general spherical form, but this is by no means essential for the use of my novel windboX arrangement,which can be used with any of the -converters known in iron and copper plied to the converter.

metallurgy.

Upon the band 3 is a rail 8, which revolves upon iianged wheels 9, rotating upon shafts 10, journaled in pillow-blocks 11, supported by stands 12 properly secured to a foundation. The under side of the converter is thus supported as it rotates. To the bottom part 2 of the converter is securely fastened a hollow shaft 14, which is formed with a curved plate 15, adapted to be secured to the converter-shell and strengthened by radial triangular ribs 16. Said shaft is hollow and forms an air-conduit for the compressed air sup- Secured to and leading from said hollow shaft is a transverse airconduit 17, which is jointed to a short pipe 1S, which conducts to the wind-box. The joint between the pipes 17 18 'is made airtight with any suitable cement or packing.

` The hollow shaft upon which the converter is turned lies in a pillow-block 19, resting upon a stand 20, ball-bearings 21 being provided to reduce the friction caused by the pressure against thepillow-block.

Motion is imparted to the converter to turn the same upon its aXis by means of a pinion 22, secured to a shaft 23, revolving in journals 24, suitably supported by a stand 25, said pinion engaging a geared ring 26, formed upon the band 3. The shaft 23 is driven most advantageously direct from a slow-speed electric motor.

The top section 1 is provided with a helmet 27, slipped over a band 28, securely riveted to the top part of the shell, This helmet is conveniently lined with such refractory'lining as will not necessitate so frequent a renewal as a converter-lining. When lining the top section 1, the helmet is removed, and the helmet is also lined separately, and then the two sections are bolted together, when the converter is ready for operation.

The wind-box is built in two parts, the casis a plate for supporting at suitable angles the twyer direction-pipes 34. The object of these pipes is to give a suitable direction to the apertures which are formed in the converter-lining over the wind-box in order to produce the best result. For this purpose the late 33 is tapped for as many pipe-holes as tliere are required twyers for the successful operation of the converter. Into these taps or holes are screwed the twyer directionpipes 34. It is understood that the directions of the holes in the bottom plate of the wind-box are the same as those of the pipes. When the converter has just been lined and the lining is still moist and comparatively soft, bars are introduced through the twyer direction-pipes 34, which serve to form the holes in the lining in the desired direction and arranged position.

An element of great importance for the rapid and convenient construction of the converter is the specially-constructed windboX with direction-pipes arranged tangentially in a ring about a central aXis. These pipes do not project into or communicate with the bottom of the converter, but are short enough to leave an open space between their ends and the holes in the bottom of the converter-shell, thereby preventing any particles of molten matte which accidentally flow through the twyer into the wind-box clogging the direction-pipes. These pipes simply serve as guides to construct the twyer leading into the converter after every lining operation, and when once their proper direction for the successful conversion of any given composition has been determined this direction is maintained for all succeeding o erations. The direction pipes should b) plugged with wooden plugs or specially-constructed valves, so that no blast is lost during the blowing operation. By means of these pipes I can obtain accurately the desired direction of the twyer through the lining of the converter. This direction is upward, outward, and forward and is the same for all of the twyers. Itis oblique to the plane through the orifice of the twyer or conduit and the central aXis of the ring of twyers. With'this tangential and at the same time inclined arrangement of the twyers the blast imparts to the molten matte a rotary motion, which alone permits of the converter being bottom blown and eliminates the necessity of punching the twyers. If the twyers instead of being given this direction were arranged vertica ly or if they were arranged at an incline, but forming the lines of an inverted cone, the reduced copper meeting the cold blast will be chilled. With my construction of twyers IOO there is obtained a rotation of the entire matte-bath. The reduced copper cannot collect in the bottom of the converter so long as the blast is blowing, for the'fluid mass isforced by the tangentially-rising air-currents to travel around the entire converter-lining, thereby evenly corroding said lining. The direction of the twyersis such that the issuing air develops a centrifugal action upon the matte, and the reduced copper being of greater specific gravity than the matte is thrown by the centrifugal force toward the converter-walls as far as possible from the orifice of the twyers or conduits, and thus avoids' the chilling action of the cold blast, but at the same time centrifugal force also acts upon the iron, which is being constantly reduced from the suliid and which having a greater specific gravity is thrown against the converter-walls, and being nascently oxidized as the sulfur is burned off combines with the silica in the lining to form a slag. It is this action produced by my improved windbox and arrangement of twyers which gives my invention its chief value.

When once the mass is set in rotation, very little force is required to be applied obliquely by the air to maintain the parts in rotation, whereas when the air is discharged directly into an inert mass very great force is re quired to move the same. Moreover, in the case of a trough or upright converter of the usual construction the blast is applied at a point comparatively near the surface, so that the length of the column of attack, as it might be calledthat is, the part of the mass acted upon by the blast-is comparatively short, whereas in my improved converter. in which the blast enters at a considerable depth below the surface, the length of the column of attack is much longer and the blast operates more efficiently. It is for this reason that in prior forms of converters in which the air is admitted at the side from a necessarily considerable height above the bottom of the converter a good part of the air escapes above the surface of the slag as unused air without having done its work of reducing the matte, whereas the present invention is that `the air is admitted in such a manner that its'entire oxidizing eect will be utilized.

It will readily be understood that when the angles of forward and outward inclinations of the direction-pipes have been determined for the conversion of any given substance the pipes can readily be secured in the desired positions and inclinations.

I claiml. A converter for converting copper and other mattes and the like having formed in the lining thereof conduits arranged about a central axis, and opening upwardly through said lining and in a direction oblique to the plane through the orifice of the conduit and said` axis and in the same angular direction therefrom, .whereby lthe momentum imparted to the mass in the converter by the blast of air through each conduit is in the same direction of rotation, substantially as described.

2. A converter for converting copper and other mattes and the like having formed in the lining thereof conduits arranged about a central axis, and 'means for forcing air through said conduits to impart momentum to the mass in the converter, all of said conduits having an upward and forward inclina-- tion whereby the blasts of air forced therethrough will tend to rotate the mass in the same direction, substantially as described.

8. A converter for converting copper and other mattes and the like having formed in the lining thereof conduits arranged about a central axis, and means for forcing air through said conduits to impart momentum to the mass in the converter, all of said conduits having an upward, outward and forward inclination whereby the blasts of air forced therethrough will tend to rotate the mass in the same direction, substantially as described.

4. A converter for converting mattes' and the like having formed in the lining thereof conduits arranged about a central axis and means for forcing air through said conduits, all of said conduits having the same outward, upward and forward angle of inclination, whereby momentum uniform in magnitude and direction is imparted to the mass by a blast of air through each conduit, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT HAAS.

Witnesses E. WooDwARD, Bnssm GORFINKEL.

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